My name is Chris Crowe and I'm a PhD student at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, UK. I study cosmology and early universe physics, working on one of the highest-profile experiments going on at the moment (no, not CERN), Planck. I studied at Nottingham for my Masters degree in Physics and Theoretical Astrophysics before coming to Cambridge in 2008 to read for Part III of the Mathematical Tripos (also known as the Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics, which is now a MMath). I did well enough to secure a PhD position in the brand new Kavli Institute for Cosmology, and I now work with George Efstathiou on technical issues relating to Planck's results (see physics section for more information). I like to play guitar, piano, compose music, occasionally go to the gym, even less frequently go snowboarding, and very occasionally indeed I like to go skateboarding. In fact, a few years ago I hashed together some footage that me and some friends took at the local skatepark and came up with this using only a Nokia mobile phone:

I also like to go skydiving when I can afford it, and would love to save up and take the AFF course. Sigh....one day!! This is me jumping perillously out of a plane at 13,000 feet a few years ago